Let's Try to Be Realistic at This Junction...

So reading some of the message board responses today, I came across this comment and felt I had to respond:

....but the people on this board who are defending RR more so than their University and its fans aren't real fans in my book. "He won't have the arrogance and constant bashing by fans" etc.; this is bullshit. Why don't you guys go follow RR over to whatever school he ends up at if he is fired! (I am in no way a Rich Rod hater. I believe whatever coach is here next year needs to compete for the Big Ten Title next year considering that we have so many returning contributors.

So assuming Harbaugh is hired... he must compete for a Big 10 championship against established teams in our division such as MSU and Nebraska? This is also under the assumption that he gets ALL of his starters back (no transfers?) and no losses in the recruiting market?

You are also assuming the offense makes it back to a top 20 outfit (I'm giving you a little wiggle room) and he's as much a defensive genius as RR is on offense and he turns our D into something respectable at say around top 1/2 in the country?

Oh yeah... and assuming Denard wants to stick around to keep making plays for us (or if Harbaugh will even let him stay at QB) - let's remember that Denard is not a clean passer and a switch to an OSU-type pro offense has not done wonders for the likes of Pryor (who most have said is not meeting expectations), who has more of a pro-style frame/arm than Denard.

If Denard does stay, do we give Harbaugh flack if he DOESN'T implement a spread O? I mean, what fraction of this website's contingent constantly rides RR for not "conforming to his players' skills" in 2008? Your #1 and #3 running back recruits are also in danger because they do not fit the bill of Harbaugh's style of O. Are we willing to lose them and not suffer a drop-off in talent?

If he DOESN'T compete for a Big10 championship next year, is he then on the hot seat for not meeting this expectation? By firing RR, you then set a bar of expectation that by all accounts you MUST apply to the next person in line.

In addition, do we just ignore all of Harbaugh's past indiscretions (DUIs, comments in the media, comments about UM academics) or do we constantly give him a hard time like some have done to RR?

While I don't endorse a preference of whether to keep RR or hire Harbaugh (a case can be made for both and I don't know if I really mind either decision), comments like this are setting a major precedent for the successor. Two sets of rules cannot be applied just because you think Harbaugh is a "Michigan Man".

Reminder - Stanford has played ONE currently ranked team this year and lost handily by 21 (another spread O team similar to M's). He also wasn't a success overnight over there, going 4-8, 5-7, and finally 8-5 in year 3. This is eerily similar to what is going on now here at UM.

So I think we should be cautious at anointing Jim Harbaugh as our Savior because it becomes dangerous when you stand back and look at where our program officially stands at this point. Every transition has its speed bumps.

I've been reading for a long time but just recently signed up so "300 points?" really isn't a good sign of how long he's been actually reading the board. Stop thinking you're hot shit because you have been actually signed up long enough to gain 13088 points.

I know there has been a shitload of posts about this, but i can't say i disagree.. I am a RR supporter through and through, at least for him to get a chance to play HIS team with mostly upper classmen, even though the D will still be young.

The biggest thing to me is ya Harbaugh is turning around Stanford blah blah.. they were pretty bad, but so was WVU when RR took over

Harbaughs record looks nice on paper, but like the OP said, he hasn't played anyone to think that he could come here, throw out the spread and win with even higher expectations?

...whoever coaches next season will have a young defense to live with.

Our young defensive backs have gotten almost two years worth of experience with all the time they spent on the field. That is going to be a plus.

But, they are still going to be a young group who haven't developed to their full physical sizes. That takes time and is going to be a minus for next season as it was this year.

I was expecting this year would likely be a 7-5 year and next year will likely be 8-4. It does not matter who coaches the team, that is about the best we can expect to realistically see happen.

Building a team that wins consistently is going to be at least two years off. Too many people expect instant gratification and will be unhappy due to their own expectations.

It will be 2012, when Denard and Tate are seniors, that Michigan will again have enough seniors and juniors who are talented players, (and at their full size), available to make us all happy with how the team is performing.